The United States administration, and specifically the Pentagon, has been consistently helping the Pakistan government out with massive infusions of money and military hardware -- aid that, following the 'alliance in the war on terror', reportedly totals $1 billion annually.
Available estimates indicate that the US has thus far given Pakistan a total of $5.3 billion by way of military aid since the inception of the programme in early 2002; a sum that translates into approximately $80 million a month.
In the post 9/11 era, such monies have been paid out with little or no oversight. Traditional military aid programmes are subject to legislative controls, including detailed accounting of how the money is being spent. The Bush Administration, following 9/11, has bypassed such controls in its dealings with Pakistan, and doled out large sums with no accounting requirements -- a fact that, following Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf's recent coup against his own government, is beginning to worry the Pentagon.
Typically, Pakistan submits claims to the US embassy in Islamabad for reimbursement of money spent on military operations against militant groups. The verification of such claims, which is done by the US Central Command, has been superficial at best, experts say, since Islamabad rarely if ever submits detailed reports on the actions it claims to have carried out.
The Los Angeles Times and other mainstream media outlets across the United States report that the Pentagon, in consequence, is planning to overhaul the mode of military aid to Pakistan. The mooted plan, known as Coalition Support Funds, will provide for the tying up monetary aid with specific objectives, in particular quantifiable progress in combating the Al Qaeda and Taliban.
If the plan becomes operational, further funds would be doled out to Islamabad only against specific objectives, and the Pakistan government would be obligated to account for how the money is spent.
These concerns have been voiced off and on even earlier; the United States Congress for instance debated with some heat a Pentagon proposal, backed by the White House, to provide Pakistan with high end fighter aircraft. Critics of the proposal pointed out that such hi-tech weaponry has nothing to do with a war on militants.
The LA Times quotes a senior military official directly involved in the aid program for Pakistan as saying that here on in, the US must know 'exactly where it goes' and 'have more say' in Pakistan's use of aid. 'If I could craft it to allocate those resources to do specific things, I'd have a priority list of where I'd like to see it applied to,' the official is quoted as saying.
There is, however, no concrete proposal to reduce the quantum of military funding -- a proposal that has been voiced before, but which has found little favor with the Bush Administration, which views Musharraf as a vital ally.
The push for accountability acquired urgency, the LA Times reports, following criticism from Democrats in Congress. Recent media reports indicate that Sen Robert Menendez (D-NJ), chairman of the subcommittee responsible for foreign aid, plans a hearing where he will push the Bush Administration to account for the monies thus far disbursed to Pakistan.
'The administration hasn't been overly forthcoming, and I don't know why,' Menendez is quoted as saying. 'If they're not forthcoming because they don't really have the type of accountability that we should be getting from the Pakistanis, then we need to deal with that.'
Menendez last week wrote to Nicholas Burns, undersecretary of State for political affairs, asking for any detailed audits of the Coalition Support Funds program, the LA Times reports.
In recent times, Administration officials and Pakistan government representatives have been engaged in talks, at the Pentagon and in Islamabad, with a view to sort out accounting procedures. The LA Times reports that such meetings have not been particularly fruitful, with Pakistan resisting US pressure to account for the monies it has received.
Menendez is quoted as saying he is concerned the Pakistan aid programme is likely evading congressional oversight. 'I'm not satisfied we have accountability and transparency,' he is quoted as saying.
